Starring - Haji (Bigfoot, Killer Drag Queen on Dope), Alex Rocco (Blood Mania, Detroit 9000), and Steve Oliver (Werewolves on Wheels, Angels from Hell)
Release Date - 1965
Genre - Thriller/Drama
Tagline - "Bike riding hoodlums flat-out on their murder cycles"
Format - Blu (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
Russ Meyer is one of those filmmakers that many movie fans either love or hate but his stamp on cinema history cannot be overlooked. Often credited for the creation of the "nudie cutie" films that became popular in the mid-50s but it wasn't until the 60s when he created his "gothic" trilogy that became popular among exploitation fans. Among those three films is the 1965 action flick Motorpsycho!. This is a film I've seen several times over the years after acquiring a VHS copy of it when I was in high school before finding a DVD release sometime later. A few weeks back my friends over at Severin released the film on UHD and blu. I want to take a moment thank Severin for sending this one over for review.
The film follows a young man who is hunting three bikers who violently raped his wife. On his hunt for the three men he finds a young woman who survived an attack from the three but her elderly husband was murdered. She joins him on his hunt for the bikers before they can hurt anyone else.
Motorpsycho! is nothing special when you compare it to similar exploitation films that followed. However, for 1965 it was something unique. Also, it's the first film to depict a Vietnam vet as mentally unstable and homicidal. While the film does feel a bit underwhelming, it is still enjoyable for a first time watch. The acting in this one is decent for the most part but there is a few scenes where the cast rushes through dialogue. These tend to be the scenes with a bit more action but it's not that bad in the long run. It doesn't really take away from the movie but it is very noticeable especially when you compare them to the more slower scenes. The story for this one is straight to the point but for a mid-60s exploitation flick, it does offer up some rather unique ideas especially for the time. A Vietnam vet returning home with a mental disorder was never mentioned in film before but it was something the U.S. was seeing at the time. Inadequate mental health resources of the time mixed with the atrocities witnessed during deployment caused many that returned to suffer. Sometimes this did turn deadly and would become more prevalent in films of the 70s. You mix this with Meyer's eye and experience with the nudie-cutie films he was known for and you have something that is a bit different for the time. Sadly, it doesn't hold up too well over all the years but it's still enjoyable for a first time view. Finally, don't expect to see blood and gore in this one. There is several deaths but they don't have any effects for the viewer to enjoy. Overall, Motorpsycho! isn't a film that will be sticking with you like so many other films but it's fun if you are looking for something you had never seen before. I've watched it a few times now and I do enjoy it but I know it's fairly mild and tame compared to the film I usually watch. It's still a fun flick and this release from Severin looks fantastic. Check it out.
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